Statement on the 75th Anniversary of the Union Day of Myanmar
- February 12, 2022 marks the 75th Anniversary of the signing of the Panglong Agreement in Myanmar (also known as Burma) in 1947. Myanmar communities of Indianapolis and the co-hosts, co-sponsors and participants of the February 5-12 Spring Flowers International Conference on Myanmar are joining the people of Myanmar and the Myanmar diaspora around the world in honoring this historic political moment.
- Under the leadership of General Aung San, members of the Executive Council of the Governor of Burma and all Saophas and representatives of the Shan States, the Kachin Hills, and the Chin Hills attended the conference held at Panglong on February 12, 1947. Leaders signed the 9-point Panglong Agreement in the belief that it would speed up independence from British colonial rule and with the intention of forming a federal union based on the principles of federalist democracy and equality.
- Successive authoritarian military governments not only failed to honor the Panglong Agreement, but systematically undermined the prospect of democracy, peace, and prosperity in the country. Systematic violations of rights, oppression, and distrust over nearly 70 years have caused continued political crises and civil war, and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes in search of safety and protection.
- Instead of serving the people of Myanmar and honoring the will of the people expressed in the 2020 general elections, a military junta staged a coup d’état on February 1, 2021. Since then it has committed abhorrent violence against innocent people. The military has burned down villages and towns, confiscated property, burned innocent people alive, and attacked innocent civilians continually. The junta has arrested, charged or sentenced 9,087 people, and killed 1,547 people (including women and children) – anyone they think is a threat to their power.
- We, the Convening Committee of this celebration of the 75th Union Day of Myanmar, hereby urge the military junta to immediately and unconditionally release all those detained during and after the military coup on February 1, including State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, members of Parliament, and civil society leaders, and to return power to the civilian government and elected officials to fulfill their mandate without impediment.
- We welcome the concern expressed and the outpouring of support offered by the international community and will be strengthening our collaboration with our Hoosier friends, the American people, the people of Myanmar inside and outside the country, and all stakeholders to help restore democracy and peace in Myanmar.
- Fully understanding the need for unity among the people of Myanmar, we support the Civil Disobedience Movement and other nonviolent movements against the military coup, and reiterate our commitment to work with all of our international friends with the people inside Myanmar until the essence of Union Day is achieved in Myanmar, to help establish a democratic federal union that guarantees freedom, equality, and self-determination.
Convening Committee
The 75th Anniversary of Union Day of Myanmar
February 12, 2022, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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